New Forest News

New police car breaks down in floodwater

A POLICE officer had to be rescued after driving his new Skoda patrol car through deep floodwater.

The officer was marooned after his engine cut out as he drove along Derritt Lane, Bransgore, which has been closed for two weeks due to flooding, with an abandoned car already in the water.

Onlooker Simon Rowley said: “He will certainly be in deep water.”

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “He was following several other cars that had successfully driven through the water without any difficulty, but, unfortunately, the marked Skoda Scout he was driving broke down,” he said.

“The water level did not exceed wheel height and there was no ingress of water into the interior of the car. However, the vehicle unfortunately stopped.

“It has now been recovered and will be examined at our workshops to determine the exact nature of the breakdown. “ Floodwater is expected to continue to cause problems over the weekend.